When I heard this stirring rendition of African American Gospel music performed by the DW Poppy Senior Chamber Choir, I was so impressed, I had to find out who this group was. I found out that is is a secondary school choir from Canada! At Vibestar Media I learned:
This Canadian choir performs a wide variety of pieces ranging from Handel's Messiah, to Canadian folk songs to contemporary pieces. Under the direction of Deidre Baird the Senior Chamber Choir at D.W. Poppy Secondary School received an "unprecedented four consecutive first place provincial choral awards (also known as the George S. Mathieson awards)" The DW Poppy Senior Chamber choir is made up of about 60 students of DW Poppy Secondary School ranging from 15-18 years old.
One of my favorite hymn tunes is Adoro Te Devote, sometimes referred to as French Church Melody.
The Latin lyrics and English translation:
Adoro te devote, latens Deitas,
Quæ sub his figuris vere latitas;
Tibi se cor meum totum subjicit,
Quia te contemplans totum deficit.
Visus, tactus, gustus in te fallitur,
Sed auditu solo tuto creditur.
Credo quidquid dixit Dei Filius;
Nil hoc verbo veritátis verius.
O memoriale mortis Domini!
Panis vivus, vitam præstans homini!
Præsta meæ menti de te vívere,
Et te illi semper dulce sapere.
Pie Pelicane, Jesu Domine,
Me immundum munda tuo sanguine:
Cujus una stilla salvum facere
Totum mundum quit ab omni scelere.
Jesu, quem velatum nunc aspicio,
Oro, fiat illud quod tam sitio:
Ut te revelata cernens facie,
Visu sim beátus tuæ gloriæ. Amen
I devoutly adore you, O hidden God,
Truly hidden beneath these appearances.
My whole heart submits to you,
And in contemplating you,
It surrenders itself completely.
Sight, touch, taste are all deceived
In their judgment of you,
But hearing suffices firmly to believe.
I believe all that the Son of God has spoken;
There is nothing truer than this word of truth.
O memorial of our Lord's death!
Living bread that gives life to man,
Grant my soul to live on you,
And always to savor your sweetness.
Lord Jesus, Good Pelican,
wash me clean with your blood,
One drop of which can free
the entire world of all its sins.
Jesus, whom now I see hidden,
I ask you to fulfill what I so desire:
That on seeing you face to face,
I may be happy in seeing your glory. Amen
